Foldable serving table



April 22, 1952 B. MAYER 2,593,471

FOLDABLE SERVING TA1-BLE Filed May 21, 1946 227 2 1 54 44 14 f 4/3 if 1o45 '3.56.

Patented Apr. 22, 1952 'P/TENT OFFICE 2,593,411;- romanesAsERvINGffrABLE f Bruno, Mayer., eW-Ylfk N Y'. Application Mayen1era-serials@ 671,312

This invention relates to foldable servingwagons or tables wherein thetop-of; the wagon ortabl'e may be used as amanually-transported; trayWhenxdesired, the supporting legs therefor-being foldable to, extendbelowor to. underlie-the tray.

' when; it isbeing so carried.

It has heretofore been proposedrto construct foldableserving devices orconveyancesfzadapted forsconversion into :ser-ving trays,v Tothilsiend,` theV legs of such devices were arranged to .bemanipulated tocausel them to .be swung against the underside ofV the device` or table.y j

It:I is also known to have said legshinged and spring-actuated and torelease saidlegs totherebywmdve thev same. from one positiontoanotherposition.k

These knownk constructions, however, didiinot corrkply` withthe,practical` requirementsl which o ften necessitated,thaty the legs of thedevice` or table had to be. lengthened or shortened toad. Justthe height.of Athe table y relatively. to :chairs orito other pieces offurniture.l

The present invention overcomes. these.. and` other disadvantages andhas as oneA of `vits? objects the provision of vmeansfacilitatngfthecexf tension of the-legsof Athe wagongor tablefromg;above the-topk thereof, Y

Another object of theinvention4 is tov ,prcvide means .permitting theoperation of ya3mechanismfor causing extensionof-the legs, aswell-as forswinging the legs vwhen the salmeyare retracted.y to a positionunderneath the top-of the-table which forms a tray or the like.

A, further object of thisV invention is to providermeans forrotatng ormoving an accessory.imple,-v ment associated with the tray.relative1ytosaid traywhen the wagon or table is in operativen()-` sitionand preventing movementv or,k d isplacementy of said implement when saidwagon isin .inopera-v tivev position or is converted intoa serving,trV

Still another object of the invention is'tqprogvide a servingtable withfoldablelegsandjmeans for. holding said legs ineither foldedorext edposition,y the'lattermeans includingv ai; |whichis controlled by amanually movable `V'sli ing element.

Yet, afurtheri object of the inventionref "des` in, the provision of.extensibleV legsfcomposedloi ltelescopic elements,andlockingmeansfor-holdingsaid elements.v in any adjusted relation.said; locking means being suitably coupledgtqandgcontrollecl` byDmovement`y of; the sliding-fv element, whereby movement.: of: salgasdias-f element f free;V the; locking; means; for th sections A on thekonf-w cih folding of the. legs is facilitated;

in;table-supporting` position,` the movement o said sliding elementrstpermitting telescopic movement of the leg sections to shortenedpositionfand, then permitting the legs in such shorty, enedppsitiontovbe swungnflatwisely against the undersidey o f, the ytray portion ofthe table or wagQIl.

With the v above andvv other objects in view which willappearasthedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction,combihereinaiterfdescribed. and more particularly denedbytheappendedrclaims, itbelngrunderstood tliatsuch V changes in- ,the`precise embodiment Aof th h, eindisclosed invention may be made as 1thinthe-sope of the claims.

Ingthefaccompanying drawing which discloses a, preferred Vembodiment ofthe invention,

Fig. 1 is a view looking at the underside of the tablemith the legsthereof lin folded position;

Fig-Alisa sectional viewof Fig. l, taken on line Z--Zand'ylookingintheAdirection of the arrows;

Eigfdis, asectional view through one end of the table showingone pair oflegs inthe act of being folded;

isa sectional view taken along line 4-4 ofjFig 2,1-andglooking in thedirection of the arrows.

Eig. 5;-isa. detailview olone of the operating locatedat the ends of thetable, by means Eiggjs `aview of `a similar slide having amodiliedformpfA aperture bymeans of which thereleaseffof theglockingmeans for the telescopic` elements@ thelessfissecuredi- Fig.7 a,sectional view along line T-'l of Fig. 6=and1looking in the directiOIl`of the arrows;

A.itis aviewsimilaruto that ofrFig. 7, disclosing a modi i ied form ofreleasemechanism.`

With reference to thedrawing, there is shown innig. 1` the top-` oftheltabie lo which, underV certain conditions, and while the legs of thetable/are in Afolded position, will act as a serving` tray.Acircumferential wall Il extends around extendinggskirt portion I2formingan enclosure lntovrwhich the vlegs may be lfolded and sub-`stantially concealed from view, as Will be hereinafter described.

ff to` divideit. into compartments for holding variousnationvhandarrangement of parts substantially as the ,sides of top I0`Which'wall has a downwardly.

Atja substantially centralposition. top l0 ofthe articles, such asbottles of beverages, food or the like. The turntable I3 carries acentral axle |5 which rotates in top I0 of the table or in a suitablebearing provided therein so that the aforesaid articles may be movedrelatively to the remainder of top l and objects placed on the latter.Secured on axle I below the bottom of top I0 is a spider I6 havingseveral radiallyextending arms |1 adapted to be engaged by the legs ofthe table when the legs are in folded position, as shown in Fig. l, atwhich time the table is being used as a serving tray and carried aroundby a person while the turntable or rotary tray I3 is prevented fromrotative movement.

The table is provided with two pairs of legs I8, |9, respectively. Thepair of legs |9 is spaced wider apart than the pair of legs I8 so thatthe latter pair, when folded, will lie between the pair |9, as it isclearly seen in Fig. 1. The construction of each pair of legs and itsattachment to the table is similar and therefore the description of onepair of legs, say, I9, will suflice for both.

The pair of legs I9 is connected at the top by the cross piece 20, whichis hinged at 2| to a transversely extending reinforcing piece 22 securedto the underside of the table top |U. Each leg of the pair of legs I9 iscomposed of a pair of tubular telescoping elements or sections, thefixed or upper section of-each leg being shown atv 23. The upper end ofeach of the fixed leg sections 23 is secured in the cross piece 20 bymeans of the straps 24 which, in turn. areattached to the leg section 23and to the cross piece by means of screws 25a or similar fasteningmeans. Through this arrangement, fixed leg sections 23 are securedlyaffixed to cross piece 20 and project therefrom, as clearly-shown in thedrawing.

The movable or adjustable section of each leg is indicated at 2'5, thesame being adapted to telescope into or out of the fixed leg section 23to a selected extent and t0 be maintained in any predetermined positionof 'projected adjustment, as will be hereinafter described.

The slidable or movable leg section 25 is formed with a plurality ofspaced holes or apertures 26, any one of which is adapted to beselectively engaged by a` pin 21, projecting laterally from the end of alengthy lever 28 which extends downwardly through the telescoped legsections or elements 23 and 25. Pin 21 projects through a hole 26 in themovable leg section and when further extended through hole 29 alignedwith, say, 26a, it Will be clear that the movable leg section can beheldin its retracted position.

Each of the levers 28 is pivoted in a bracket 30 located within theupper portion of the fixed leg section 23. The upper end of the lever 28for one of the legs I9 beyond the pivot is secured to one end of a linkor adjustable cable 3| extending through a passage 32 into thecross'piece 20 and having its opposite end secured to one end of a lever33. The companion leg I9 has its lever 28 attached to a link 3|a, theend'of which is attached at 34 to the second endy of lever 33. Lever 33is attached to a pin 35 which is pivotally mounted in the cross piece20. Also attached to pin 35 is one end of a bell-crank shaped lever 36having its opposite end provided with a laterally extending pin 31 whichenters an inclined slot 38 formed in a slot 39 which is mounted to slidethrough a slot 40 formed in the angularly bent end of a shield or guideend portion of leaf 5|.

4 plate 46. This plate 46 is attached by the screws 41 to an end face ofthe cross piece 20.

The arrangement is such that when the bellcrank lever 36 is moved in theproper direction, it will pivot the lever 33 about pin 35, causing thesame to exert a pull on the two links or cables 3| and 3Ia with theresult that levers 28 will be swung on their pivots to cause them todraw their pins 21 out of the holes 26a and 29 to permit extension ofthe movable leg sections 25 with respect to the fixed leg sections 23 inwhich they are disposed.

Near the points of connection of levers 28 to links 3| and 3|a areprovided springs 48 which normally tend to hold levers 28 in a positionwherein pins 21 thereon are in engagement with respective holes 26.

A stop pin 49 is located within each of springs 48, the same serving tolimit movement of the levers 28 toward release position and therebypreventing jamming or sticking of the levers within the hollow legsections.

The means for maintaining the legs in either extended table-supportingor folded positions consists of a hinge-like member 50 having a guideleaf 5| formed with a forward end 52 normally locking or abuttingagainst the front of lower portion 53 of plate 46. Lower portion 53 ofthis plate projects slightly below the cross piece 20 to be therebyreadily engageable with the The engagement of the lower end portion 53of plate 46 with and along leaf I5| occurs when the legs are to be swungunderneath the table or tray. Slide 39 is provided at the top with acylindrical handle portion 54 which may be readily engaged by thefingers of a person to depress slide 39 and when this is done an angularfoot portion 55 on the lower end of the slide will engage leaf 5| anddepress it (Fig. 3) against the pull of a spring 56 which connects leaf5| to the end of a companion leaf 51 secured to a cross member 58 on thebottom of the tray.

When leaf 5I is depressed it will be observed that the end 52 of theleaf is shifted for engagement with and below the lower end 53 of plate46 and thus, when the two slides 39 controlling the two pairs of legs I8and I9, are downwardly depressed, the legs will be free to be manuallyswung inwardly to folded position and to overlie the bottom surface oftable top IU.

When the legs are disposed in said folded position, it will be seen thatthe same bear against arms |1 of spider |6 and act to prevent rotativemovement of the turntable or rotary tray |3. Thus,while the table isbeing used as a serving tray, and is being carried by handles 59 locatedat the opposite end of the tray or table, and with the legs of the tablein folded position, the turntable I3 will be prevented from rotativemovement.

When the legs are folded they will be held in such position by pressureof leaves 5| against the outer face of each of the plates 46, as notedin Fig. 1. To open the legs, plates 39 are swung by means of handles 54in the direction of arrow A, this serving to swing the legs to tablesupporting position and bringing the ends of leaves 5| into lockingengagement with the plate ends 53 (Fig. 2) to hold the legs in suchtable supporting position.

The angular disposition of each of the slots 38 in slides 39 is suchthat when slides 39 are depressed, pins 31 will be shifted arcuately asshown by the dot-dash line in Fig. 5, this movement assaggi" tending.;to? swing'f niev beltcrankasf and" causeV pivotalfzmovementf'of"lever33`which results in freeing piris121f from* holes 26a* and 29- in the llegsections.; 'I'hefresultis that when' slides 39V are depressed;jz-thefldepressing movementof these slideslwill also'servev to free themovableleg sectionsv 25-"sothat` they mayf be telescoped` withinA thelxedxlegisections 2 31 while :thellegs fare. swung.

tof-supprting position;

Withiv the.: angular; arrangement. of slots 38.V y-twillA befnotedithatAwhen-the ilegs have folding;pjisi'tion.,1.J pressure must.' bei exertedon bellltcran .lever-s 36S; to: freeirf pins;` 21 1 and: permitupwartliv telescopicu sliding:movement',L of'l movable silenced: totabiesupporting.position and. iflfitiwill l then `be necessary to. swingthe: legs. to

le'gelements125iwithintheir outer sections 23 y tot thereby sec/ure:the.: retracted: position (shown inzfll linesfinflilig. 41).;

In1.other. word"s,...with thiszarrangement the adjustment of tlieilength. of ther legs must be achievedbyfoperation ofthe bell-cranks36after tlieflegsfhave been unfolded. Withanarrangementias'vshownain Figs.6 and '7,.the'a freeing. of pinsx] f ro'maholes:26a` and-2i)v cany alsobe. secured independently of. the swinging `of. the legs toafopenposition; It will'bevnoted. that in this embodiment pin 31 is operativein a substantially triangularslot in slide-'39, and thatsa-id pinispiprovidedrwithza-nger piece 6I. Whenit is desiredi tofsw'ingthe'legsfto extended or` table supportingposition,.and at thesame time freetheistelescopjeielements of the legs, ringer pieces 6l may; bef engaged.tot swing thev bell-crank levers -andl`cause freeing of pins 21.

A't.` the'l same:` time as the legs swing to openv 'slidingumovementofthe. movable leg elements andi prey nts separationof 'the same from' theced secons. within..which. they are slidable. Casters @dorfothersuitable wheels may be provided atlthe ends of the movable leg elementsand ea'chpair `of legs may befconnected by the cross brace#` 65".'

From the foregoing, the operation of the device will be clearlyunderstood. In Fig. 4 it is shown, that the legs for use in connectionwith a serving table are in open or supporting position. A Should it bedesired at any time while the legs `'are in said supporting position, toincrease or decrease the length of the legs, this may be done bypressing both slides 39 slightly downwardly (Fig. 5) during apredetermined length of stroke or by actuation of handles 6I (Figs. 6and 7) until pins 21 are freed from the holes 26a, 29 (Fig. 4) and thetable may then be raised ,to allow the movable leg elements to" drop andextend (or again to retract, ras the case may be) as shown in dot-dashlines in Fig. 4.

When it is desired to use the device as a tray, slides 39 are depressedby means of handles 54, thus first permitting the leg extensions to betelescoped and retracted (until pins 21 again ward each othertov foldedpositionI (Figyfl).

This will disposek the legsin'- positionwhere they.` will bevconcealed-by the skirtfportion: I2 'ofithe table end, when folded, thellegs'i will. engage.y againstarms l1 of' spider: I6an'd impedethere bythe movement of?? turntable- I 3.

Fig. 8 illustrates" a fragmentary "sectional viewI of a' modifiedformi-asitis applicable: to. thei-rei lease Y mechanism.. Hand lever-l"1Uv is "guided byiA means of a boltl Irwithrin openingg13 ofithesslide:39. Lever 10 is pivoted'at114 onifaluglor similariy bearing of slide39.. When .leverf'10- actuated'. in the direction of arrow C4a'gainstthe;actionY` of coil.` spring 12 which. isseatedonboltzll; thelever end 15 will'engage pin 31.andLcauserdowruV ward movement ofsaidpin31 tothereby. actuator lever 36 for the release of the pins-21.Thus;v adjustment of the height ofthe table legs maybe; hadindependently.A of slide 39. Slide 39fmay;V however, also be employed(by pressing .the sameat 54 in the direction'of arrowfB) to causerfonithe one hand actuation of the pins 21 which,.asy

hereinabove explained, are operativelyA connected through levers 36andrpins 31 to slide 39, andonf the the other handactuation ofthe1leaves:5| for? the purpose of first retracting and then folding.;the legs I8-I9 below the tabletop.

It will thus be seen thatthere-has been-provided by this invention adevice of the character describedin which the various objectshereinabove set forthtogether with many thoroughly. practicaladvantages, are successfully` achieved.-

As many possible embodiments'may be vmade'- of the above invention,` andas' many changes might ybel made in the embodiment above set forth, itis to be understood tha-t1 all matters. hereinbefore set forth or showninuthe accom-,- panying drawing, areto be interpreted as illustrativeand notin a limiting` sense.

Having thus described the invention, what-is`- claimed as new anddesiredto be securedby Lets ters Patent is:

l. In a table structurer of the character: deev scribed; a table tophaving two pairs of. legs. hingedly. attached at its underface,eachpair'oflegs being attached, respectively, to a cross-piece; springsupported means disposed at a respectivel cross-piece andincludingslidableA means; each leg including at least twosections, saidsections being adjustable to each other to change the:eiY fective lengthof said legs,.locking means engage-- able with saidleg sections in.adjusted relation'of the latter, and means coupling said leg lockingmeans with said slidable means of said spring supported means wherebymovement of said slidable means against said spring supported means willpermit swinging movement of said legs and cause release of said leglocking means.

2. In a table structure, a table top having handles by which it can becarried and used as a tray, legs swingably attached to said table top,said legs including each a section telescopically extensible in relationto each of the remainder of said legs so as to regulate the effectivelength of said legs, said sections of said legs having predeterminedholes, locking means disposed within said legs for selective engagementwith said holes in said sections to hold said sections in xed relation,slidable means actuatable to facilitate Swinging movement of said legsrelatively to said table top, said slidable means being operativelyconnected with said locking means for engaging said holes in said legswhereby said sections of said legs will be released for movement uponoperation of said slidable means.

3. A table of the character described comprising a table plate having anupper surface for supporting articles thereon and an underface, pairs oflegs disposed at opposed ends of said underface, respective legextensions engaging said pairs of legs to change the length of thelatter, a cross piece interconnecting each pair of legs, hinge meansswingably connecting said cross pieces to said table underface, amechanism positioned atl each of said opposed ends for actuating saidpairs of legs, respectively, so that said pairs of legs assume,respectively, table-supporting position and folded position in whichlatter position said legs extend below said table plate in substantiallylengthwise direction of said underface, each mechanism comprising aslide, a guide plate fixed to the respective cross piece and providedwith a slot for guiding said slide into a predetermined position, springmeans arranged at the underface of said table plate and including a leafmember engaging. under the action of said spring means said guide plateso as to lock each pair of legs in said table-supporting position, levermeans operatively connected to said leg extensions for releasing thelatter for adjustment relatively to said pairs of legs, and meanspositioned adjacent said slide and adapted to actuate said operativelyconnected means, said slide being adapted in said predetermined positionto bring about disengagement of said leaf member from said guide plateto free the latter and to permit said pair of legs to swing to saidfolded position below said underface of said table plate.

4. A table of the character described comprising a 4table plate havingan upper surface for supporting articles thereon and an underface, pairsof legs disposed at opposed ends of said underface, respective legextensions engaging said pairs of legs to facilitate adjustment oflength of the latter, a cross piece interconnecting each pair of legs,respective hinge means swingably attaching said cross pieces to saidtable plate at its underface, a mechanism positioned at each of saidopposed ends for actuating said pairs of legs, respectively, so thatsaid pairs of legs assume, respectively, table-supporting position andfolded position in which latter position said legs extend below saidtable plate insubstantially lengthwise direction of said undersurface,each mechanism comprising a slide, a guide plate xed to the respectivecross piece and provided with a slot for 5o guiding said slide into apredetermined position,

spring means arranged at the underface of said table plate and includinga leaf member engaging said guide plate s0 as to lock each pair of legsin said table-supporting position, lever means operatively connected* tosaid leg extensions whereby the latter may be released for adjustmentrelatively to said pairs of legs, and means controlled by said slide andadapted to actuate said operatively connected means, said slide beingadapted to said predetermined position to bring about disengagement ofsaid leaf member from said guide plate to free the latter and to permitsaid pair of legs to swing to said folded position below said underfaceof said table plate.

5. In a table structure, a table top having legs swingably arrangedthereon and foldable beneath it, said legs being provided withtelescopic sections to extend said legs in lengthwise direction of saidlegs, means releasably holding said legs in either of two positions,respectively, and relatively to said table top, means for locking saidtelescopic sections of said legs in predetermined position lengthwise ofsaid legs and slidable means arranged to operate said leg holding meansand simultaneously said locking means, whereby said locking means willbe freed upon release of said leg holding means to one of said twopositions.

6. In a table structure according to claim 5, wherein a portion of saidleg holding means normally extends at an angle to said slidabe means,each of said leg locking means being provided with an element engageablewith said leg sections, said element being operatively connected to saidslidable means and caused to be moved relatively to said leg sectionslupon movement of said slidable means against said ing means. s

BRUNO MAYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 493,111 Parsons Mar. 7, 18931,354,755 Ferrell Oct. 5, 1920 1,494,893 Fisher May 20, 1924 1,576,455Parker Mar. 9, 1926 1,667,080 Y Ramsey Apr. 24, 1928 2,284,304 Shoop etal May 26, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS l Number Country 4 Date 380,016 GreatBritain Sept. 8,-1932 portion of said leg hold-lv

